KOMU Catches up with Kim English

PHILADELPHIA- Kim English is the first player to rise from his seat on the bench as Detroit calls a timeout. Dressed in a full red and blue warmup, the Detroit Pistons rookie walks over to his five teammates coming off the court and showers each with high fives and words of encouragement. Like clockwork, the former Missouri guard did this same exercise with each time out called and at the end of each quarter.

"It's not a rookie thing, I just want to be a good teammate. Even if I did play and was on the bench, I'd still be the first to stand up. I'm trying to be the teammate I'd want to have" said English.

Detroit's 104-97 loss to Philadelphia on Monday marked English's seventh game in a row without setting foot onto the court. The second round draft pick has played ten games so far, averaging 9.2 minutes per game in the regular season for the Pistons. English says it's difficult to go from playing every single game as a captain and leading scorer for Missouri to spending most games on the bench in the NBA.

"It's tough but it's an adjustment every NBA player has to make that does sit on the bench. If you make it to the NBA, you've played every way you've played and done pretty well. I'm patient."

In the ten games English played for Detroit, he averaged 3.2 points and .9 rebounds per game. He scored his season high of eight points in games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets. English says Detroit's front office wants him to get playing time, so the Pistons are sending him to Fort Wayne to play in the NBA's development league over the weekend.

English will return to Detroit in time for its game against the Toronto Raptors on December 19th. As a rookie for the Pistons, English says his time in Detroit has been great so far.

"Our general manager [Joe Dumars] is one of the best people in basketball and I'm blessed."

The rookie says he looks up to team veterans Charlie Villanueva and Corey Maggette. Although he's enjoying his time in Detroit, English admits he misses Missouri.

"I think when it's all said and done, I'd like to go back to either Columbia or Kansas City to raise a family. Missouri is where I grew into a man... Columbia was special."